Sample "Word Journal" for the word ‘blood’ in Act 1
1st use
-Quotation and Speaker: Duncan:
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state. (1.2.1-3)
-Paraphrase: Who is that bloody man? It looks like he has been fighting against the revolt and can give us the latest news of the battle.
-Clarification: King Duncan is on or near the battlefield and wants to know how the fight is going.
-Conclusions: Duncan trusts a bloody soldier whose blood gives him the authority to report on the battle.
2nd use
-Quotation and Speaker: Captain:
For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name),
Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,
Which smoked bloody execution,
Like valor’s minion, carved out his passage
Till he faced the slave... (1.2.18-22)
-Paraphrase: In spite of our troops’ bad luck, brave Macbeth carved his way with his executioner’s sword through the ranks of rebel soldiers until he faced the traitor who led the revolt.
-Clarification: The captain reports to King Duncan that Macbeth fought fiercely to spill the blood of the traitors who rebelled against Duncan and Scotland.
-Conclusions: In the first passage (this is a comparison), the loyal Scottish captain is bloody because of the rebels’ uprising. Because of his bravery, fierceness, and loyalty, Macbeth makes the rebels bloody.
3rd use -Quotation and Speaker: Lady Macbeth:
Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood;
Stop up th' access and passage to remorse,
(1.5.43-44) -Paraphrase: Make my blood thick so I can be cold-harted and feel no sorrow or guilt about planning this murder. -Clarification: Lady Macbeth wants to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. In order to do so, she hopes to become more mannish and heartless. -Conclusions: Early in the play, soldiers get bloody as they try to overthrow Scotland. Then Scottish soldiers get bloody overthrowing the rebels. Lady Macbeth wants to overthrow King Duncan, so she is going to have to get bloody too. But before she can make Duncan's blood flow, she is going to have to change her blood - slow it down, make it cold. She talks as if she can change her personality by changing her blood.
General Conclusions about the use of the word "blood" in Act 1 (so far):
1. In Act 1 it is a good thing to be bloody, especially for men to be bloody - the king trusts the bloody soldier, and people admire Macbeth because he has a bloody sword and has killed lots of soldiers. Lady Macbeth thinks it might be good for her and her husband to be bloody - she wants to slow down her blood and be like a man and make Duncan's blood flow.
2. Even before we meet him, Macbeth is bloody - he comes onstage with a bloody sword.
1st use
-Quotation and Speaker: Duncan:
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state. (1.2.1-3)
-Paraphrase: Who is that bloody man? It looks like he has been fighting against the revolt and can give us the latest news of the battle.
-Clarification: King Duncan is on or near the battlefield and wants to know how the fight is going.
-Conclusions: Duncan trusts a bloody soldier whose blood gives him the authority to report on the battle.
2nd use
-Quotation and Speaker: Captain:
For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name),
Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel,
Which smoked bloody execution,
Like valor’s minion, carved out his passage
Till he faced the slave... (1.2.18-22)
-Paraphrase: In spite of our troops’ bad luck, brave Macbeth carved his way with his executioner’s sword through the ranks of rebel soldiers until he faced the traitor who led the revolt.
-Clarification: The captain reports to King Duncan that Macbeth fought fiercely to spill the blood of the traitors who rebelled against Duncan and Scotland.
-Conclusions: In the first passage (this is a comparison), the loyal Scottish captain is bloody because of the rebels’ uprising. Because of his bravery, fierceness, and loyalty, Macbeth makes the rebels bloody.
3rd use
-Quotation and Speaker: Lady Macbeth:
Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood;
Stop up th' access and passage to remorse,
(1.5.43-44)
-Paraphrase: Make my blood thick so I can be cold-harted and feel no sorrow or guilt about planning this murder.
-Clarification: Lady Macbeth wants to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. In order to do so, she hopes to become more mannish and heartless.
-Conclusions: Early in the play, soldiers get bloody as they try to overthrow Scotland. Then Scottish soldiers get bloody overthrowing the rebels. Lady Macbeth wants to overthrow King Duncan, so she is going to have to get bloody too. But before she can make Duncan's blood flow, she is going to have to change her blood - slow it down, make it cold. She talks as if she can change her personality by changing her blood.
General Conclusions about the use of the word "blood" in Act 1 (so far):
1. In Act 1 it is a good thing to be bloody, especially for men to be bloody - the king trusts the bloody soldier, and people admire Macbeth because he has a bloody sword and has killed lots of soldiers. Lady Macbeth thinks it might be good for her and her husband to be bloody - she wants to slow down her blood and be like a man and make Duncan's blood flow.
2. Even before we meet him, Macbeth is bloody - he comes onstage with a bloody sword.